Method and Apparatus for Winding Up Tubes in Spool Form and for Wrapping the Spool Formed

ABSTRACT

Method for winding up tubes ( 1 ) in spool form by means of an apparatus for winding and wrapping the spool formed with a film ( 2 ), the apparatus comprising a structure ( 10 ) translationally movable and carrying a reel ( 20 ) rotating about a longitudinal axis of rotation (X-X), a feeder device ( 40 ) feeding a tube ( 1 ) to the reel ( 20 ), a feeder device ( 50 ) feeding a wrapping film ( 2 ), and a pair of coaxial discs ( 30   a   ,30   b   ;130   a   ,130   b ) which are respectively distal ( 30   a   ;130   a ) and proximal ( 30   b   ;130   b ) and arranged opposite each other for containing the sides of the spool in the longitudinal direction (X-X).

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No.MI2012A 000009 filed on Jan. 4, 2012, the content of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for windingup tubes in spool form and wrapping the spool formed.

BACKGROUND

It is known in the technical sector of winding up tubes, hanks and thelike in the form of spools that said spools are obtained by winding upthe hank onto a reel rotating on a motor-driven hub.

Also known in the art are different models of winders for automaticallywinding tubes made of plastic or other materials, which operate with acompletely automatic cycle comprising essentially the following steps:

-   -   automatically fastening the tube to be wound onto the reel by        means of an associated mechanical device;    -   automatic starting of the winding step during which a second        tube-guiding device distributes the tube on the rotating reel,        trying to use as far as possible a staggered distribution of the        tube;    -   cutting the tube automatically when the set winding length is        reached;    -   starting tying of the wrapping of the finished spool as preset        by the operator;    -   once the spool has been wrapped, automatic discharging of the        roll produced which therefore has the appearance of a perfectly        wound wrapped tube of the desired length ready for the        palletization step.

It is also known that wrapping of the spool, once winding has beencompleted, is performed using shrinkable plastic materials which tend tokeep the spool compact for subsequent unloading from the reel,transportation and storage.

The wrapping step performed on a production line is, however,particularly critical owing to the difficulty of obtaining winding ofthe spool both on its front winding surface, which is a conventionaloperation, and along its side surfaces, which is a particularlycomplicated operation since during the tube winding step the sides ofthe spool are held between containing flanges which rotate together withthe reel and which, although having the function of ensuring winding ofthe tube and the plastic film onto the front surface of the spool,prevent in fact application of the film onto the sides of the spoolitself.

In order to be able to solve this problem, machines have been developedwhere the circular containing flanges may be retracted inside therotating reel, thus freeing the sides of the spool for wrapping; thisconfiguration with retracting flanges however requires that the flangeshave a radius with dimensions not greater than half the radius of thereel, thus greatly limiting the useful winding diameter of the spool,which, in addition to increasing the costs of the machine with theintroduction of numerous actuating and control parts, also results ingreater dimensions of the machine for the same final diameter of thespool, or a reduction in the final diameter thereof.

Examples of these machines are described as prior art in WO2010/103.336which claims a winding machine in which at least one of the spoolcontaining discs is rotationally movable.

WO2010103.336 describes a winding machine in which the containingflanges are formed by radial arms which are operated singly in a mannersynchronized with the feeding of a film for wrapping the finished spool,said film being fed by an associated feeding device which remains fixedin both senses of a direction parallel to the axis for winding the tubeand the film or perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of feedingthereof.

In WO103.336 each single radial arm rotates together with the spool whenthe latter passes opposite the film entry zone, i.e. performs abackwards (translational or rotational) movement which brings it outsidethe area occupied by the film, allowing the tube to be applied also ontothe sides of the wound spool; once the film feeding zone has beenangularly passed through, the containing arm is brought back into itsoriginal position, in order to perform the function of containing thespool during rotation until wrapping has been completed.

It is therefore clear that in WO2010/103.336 the containing flanges arenot rotationally fixed and are divided into single arms, which movesingly depending on the relative position with respect to a film feedingdevice which is fixed in the direction parallel to the tube windingaxis.

WO96/26.863 describes a method for winding film around spools wound oncylindrical wooden supports to which plates for containing the woundspool are attached; the document teaches how the spool is wound togetherwith containing plates outside of a winding machine and does not provideany indication of a solution to the problem of applying the wrappingfilm to the side part of the wound spool when still mounted on the reelof the winder.

WO99/15.409 describes a winding machine and film wrapping machine whichare arranged coaxially alongside each other and separate from each otherand in which the lateral containment parts are rotationally movabletogether with the reel during winding of the spool and the film and areradially retracted and/or axially displaced in order to contain thespool adjacent to that being wound and in which a wrapping film feedingdevice is designed to move in both senses of a direction parallel to thewinding axis so as to distribute the film over the width of each spooland then the entire set of spools, in different configurations designedto allow selective unwrapping of the only one spool or a plurality ofspools wound and wrapped together, while leaving the others properlywrapped. The document does not provide any indication as regards theproblem of distributing the film on the sides of the spool for wrappingthereof.

SUMMARY

The technical problem which is posed, therefore, is that of providing amethod and a machine for winding up in spool form tubes and the like,which allows easy and low-cost wrapping of the spool itself once windinghas been completed and with the spool still mounted on the winding reel.

In connection with this problem it is also required that this machineshould have small dimensions, be easy and inexpensive to produce andassemble and be able to be easily installed at any user usingconventional standardized means.

These results are achieved according to the present invention by meansof a method for winding and wrapping spools of tubes according to thecharacteristic features of claim 1 and by a machine for winding andwrapping spools of tubes according to the characteristic features ofclaim 6.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further details may be obtained from the following description of anon-limiting example of embodiment of the present invention providedwith reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a machine for winding and wrappingspools of tubes according to the present invention, open in the restcondition;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the machine according to FIG. 1during closing in order to start the winding process;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the machine according to FIG. 1during fastening of the tube to be wound;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the machine according to FIG. 1during winding of the tube;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the machine according to FIG. 1during the start of wrapping; and

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the machine according to FIG. 1during completion of the wrapping process;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a second example of embodiment of amachine according to the present invention during winding of the tube;and

FIG. 8 shows the machine according to FIG. 7 during wrapping of thewound spool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1 and assuming solely for the sake of convenience ofdescription and without a limiting meaning a pair of reference axeswith, respectively, a longitudinal direction X-X, corresponding to theaxis of rotation for winding, and transverse direction Y-Y,corresponding to the direction of movement of the tube to be wound andthe wrapping film, a machine for winding up tubes 1 in spool form andwrapping the formed spool by means of a shrinkable film 2 according tothe invention comprises essentially:

-   -   a carrying structure 10 which has, attached thereto:    -   a reel 20 rotating about the longitudinal axis X-X and actuated        by means of a shaft 11 connected to actuating and control means        15 which are conventional per se and only schematically shown in        FIG. 1;    -   the structure 10 is movable in both directions of the        longitudinal axis X-X on longitudinal rails 21 from an extracted        position into a position where it is inserted relative to    -   a pair of discs 30, i.e. distal disc 30 a and proximal disc 30 b        for containing in the longitudinal direction X-X the spool being        wrapped; the discs 30 a,30 b are fixed and coaxial with the        longitudinal axis X-X and spaced from each other in the same        direction X-X by an amount D1 slightly greater than the final        thickness of the tube spool to be wound; as shown, the two discs        30 a, 30 b are attached to a support structure 35 and have:        -   a central circular coaxial opening 31 with an inner diameter            greater than the outer diameter of the reel 20 and        -   a gap 32 in their surface, equivalent to a circle segment            with a centre angle preferably of between 30° and 120° and            preferably between 40° and 90°.

Preferably the inner surface 30 c of each disc 30 a,30 b is lined withanti-friction material, such as Teflon or the like, and also has spheres33 in turn lined with anti-friction material, said lining and spheresbeing designed to allow easy sliding of the film 2 and the tube 1.

In a preferred embodiment the distance D1 between the discs 30 a, 30 bis adjustable by means of a relative axial movement of the proximal disc30 b with respect to the distal disc 30 a in a direction parallel to thewinding axis X-X, which can be achieved for example by means of ascrew/female thread connection of the spacers 36 arranged between thediscs 30. In this way, it is possible, at the start of the winding andwrapping cycle, and depending on the width of the final wound spool tovary the distance between the discs 30; distance D1, which is kept fixedduring winding of the tube 1 and wrapping with the film 2. Preferably,the discs 30 a, 30 b perform the containing function in the directionX-X of the winding spool.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the apparatus is completed by a device40 for feeding and fastening the tube 1 to the reel 20 and by a device50 for feeding and fastening the shrinkable film 2 for final wrapping.

As can be seen more clearly below, the device for feeding the shrinkablefilm 2 is movable parallel to the longitudinal direction X-X, in bothsenses thereof, between opposite end positions such as to cause the film2 to project partially in the longitudinal direction X-X from the sidesof the spool.

The device 50 for feeding the film is kept in position, with respect tothe rotationally fixed discs 30 a, 30 b, such as to cause entry of thefilm inside the discs 30 a, 30 b in a direction substantially tangentialto the spool.

With this configuration the operating sequence of the machine is asfollows:

-   -   arrangement of the structure 10 carrying the reel 20 (FIG. 1) in        an extracted longitudinal position with respect to the two discs        30 a,30 b;    -   axial displacement of the structure 10 (FIG. 2) so as to bring        the reel 20 into the position inserted in the two central        openings 31 of the discs 30 a,30 b;    -   operation of the fixed-disc device 40 for feeding the tube 1        (FIG. 3), with fastening of the tube to the reel 20 and starting        of the winding process;    -   when the programmed spool winding diameter is reached, stoppage        and cutting of the tube 1;    -   starting of device 50 for feeding the wrapping film 2 and        fastening of the film onto the reel 20;    -   pulling by the reel of the film 2 with consequent winding of the        film onto the spool formed, so as to cover the front surface        thereof;    -   synchronized displacement of the feeder device 50 for the film 2        in both senses of the direction X-X so as to bring the film 2        into a position where it is partly superimposed on the front        surface of the reel and partly projects in the longitudinal        direction with respect thereto so as to form a wrapping fold 2 a        on the side of the spool;

“synchronized displacement” in accordance with the present invention isunderstood as meaning that the displacement of the feeder device 50 forthe film 2 in both senses of the longitudinal direction X-X takes placein such a way that the film 2 projects laterally from either side of thespool in the region of the open circle segments 31 of the fixed discs30; in this way, during unrolling of the film, said film forms said fold2 a on the sides of the spool, completing correct wrapping thereof;

-   -   displacement of the structure 20 into the extracted position        with respect to the discs once wrapping has been completed;    -   unloading of the wrapped spool;    -   starting of a new cycle if required.

It is therefore clear how with the apparatus for winding and wrappingtubes in the form of spools according to the invention, characterized bythe containing discs which are fixed with respect to the rotating reel,it is possible to achieve complete and automatic wrapping on aproduction line without limitation of the final size of the spool asinstead occurs in the prior art; with the apparatus according to theinvention it is in particular possible to render independent of eachother the measurements of the outer diameter and the inner diameter ofthe spool, these being no longer dependent on the need to design thecontaining flanges in accordance with the dimensions of the winding drumtogether with which, according to the prior art, they must rotate andwith respect to which they must be retracted and/or disengaged.

In addition to this the spool is never freed from the lateral containingrestraint of the fixed discs, thus favouring more uniform winding andwrapping of the spool.

With the method and the apparatus according to the invention, it is alsopossible to use wrapping films of standard and/or uniform size for anyspool thickness, the movement of the film feeder device between the twoends of its travel path in the longitudinal direction X-X in factresulting in there being no constraint on the size of the film in thesaid longitudinal direction.

In a second embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention,shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, it is envisage that:

-   -   the disc 130 a, which is distal with respect to the reel 20, is        both rotationally and translationally fixed during all the        winding and wrapping steps and has at least one opening 32 in        its surface. As shown, the disc 130 a may be formed by means of        petals 131 a, which are angularly spaced from each other so as        to define the said openings 32;    -   the disc 130 b, which is proximal with respect to the reel,        consists of petals 131 b supported by corresponding arms 135        integral with the rod 136 a of a cylinder 136 for performing        axial displacement of the petals parallel to the longitudinal        direction X-X from a position removed from the spool being        wound, in which position the proximal disc 130 b remains outside        the winding trajectory of the reel 20, into a position for        containing the spool during wrapping thereof, in which position        the proximal disc 130 b is situated a suitable distance D1 from        the fixed distal disc 130 a and in an angular position such as        to bring at least one petal 131 b into an angular position such        as to produce the alignment of the at least one opening 32 of        the two discs 131 a, 131 b, for wrapping of the spool in the        film in a manner similar to that described and illustrated        above.

Advantageously, in the case of the embodiment according to FIGS. 7 and8, containment of the spool in the longitudinal direction X-X duringwinding of the tube 1 is performed by a cross-piece 60, which isdisplaceable on the reel 20 in the longitudinal direction X-X forlongitudinal sizing/containment of the spool; at the end of the tubewinding step, the cross-piece is displaced away from the spool into anend-of-travel position, while the proximal disc 130 b is brought intothe position close to the spool for wrapping.

Advantageously the arms of the cross-piece 60 are provided with amechanism for adjusting the radial opening of the reel, in accordancewith the desired inner diameter of the spool to be wound, thuseliminating the constraint imposed on the inner diameter by thedimensions of the central opening 31 of the discs 30 a, 30 b of thefirst embodiment; in fact, it is no longer necessary for the outerdiameter of the winding reel to be less than the diameter of the centralopening 31.

Although described in relation to an example of embodiment with a gap inthe surface of the containing discs in the form of a circle segment, itis envisaged that this gap may have equivalent forms provided that theyhave the function of ensuring synchronization with the movement of thefilm feeder device in the longitudinal direction. It is envisagedmoreover that fastening of the film 2 for starting of the wrappingoperation may also be performed before final cutting of the tube.

Although described in connection with a number of preferredconstructional forms and examples of embodiment of the invention, it isunderstood that the scope of protection of the present patent is definedsolely by the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for winding up tubes (1) in spool formby means of an apparatus for winding and wrapping the spool formed witha film (2), the apparatus comprising a structure (10) translationallymovable and carrying a reel (20) rotating about a longitudinal axis ofrotation (X-X), a feeder device (40) feeding a tube (1) to the reel(20), a feeder device (50) feeding a wrapping film (2), and a pair ofcoaxial discs (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b) which are respectively distal (30a;130 a) and proximal (30 b;130 b) and arranged opposite each other forcontaining the sides of the spool in the longitudinal direction (X-X),the method comprising the following steps: arrangement of the structure(10) carrying the reel (20) in a longitudinal position removed from thedistal disc (30 a;130 a); axial displacement of the structure (10) intoa position where the reel (20) is coaxially close to the distal disc (30a;130 a); operating the feeder device (40) feeding the tube (1) andstarting the winding process; starting the feeder device (50) feedingthe wrapping film (2) and fastening said film onto the reel (20);cutting the tube (2) when the programmed winding diameter of the spoolis reached; starting the process for winding the film (2) onto the spoolformed so as to cover the front surface thereof; synchronizeddisplacement of the feeder device (50) for the film (2) in both sensesof the longitudinal direction (X-X) from one end position to the otherrelative to the spool during winding, wherein the discs (30 a,30 b;130a,130 b) for containing the wound spool and the wrapping film (2) arerotationally fixed with respect to the reel (20) and wherein the surfaceof said fixed containing discs (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b) has at least onegap (32) in the zone where the film (2) enters inside the said discs. 2.The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of fastening the film(2) in order to start wrapping is performed prior to stoppage andcutting of the tube (1) when the programmed winding diameter of thespool is reached.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stepof fastening the film (2) in order to start wrapping is performed afterstoppage and cutting of the tube (1) when the programmed windingdiameter of the spool is reached.
 4. The method according to claim 1,wherein the centre angle of the circle segment forming the gap (32) inthe surface of the discs (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b) is between 30° and120°.
 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the centre angle ofthe circle segment forming the gap (32) in the surface of the discs (30a,30 b;130 a,130 b) is preferably between 40° and 90°.
 6. An apparatusfor winding up tubes (1) in spool form and wrapping the spool formed bymeans of a film (2), comprising: a structure (10) translationallymovable and carrying a rotating reel (20), a feeder device (40) feedinga tube (1) to the reel (20), a feeder device (50) feeding a wrappingfilm (2) to the reel (20), and a pair of coaxial discs (30 a,30 b;130a,130 b) for containing the sides of the spool in the longitudinaldirection (X-X), which are respectively distal (30 a,130 a) and proximal(30 b;130 b) and provided with a respective central opening (31);wherein the said discs (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b) for containing the woundspool and the wrapping film (2) are rotationally fixed with respect tothe rotating reel (20), wherein the surface of the said fixed containingdiscs (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b) has at least one gap (32), in the zonewhere film (2) enters inside the said discs and wherein the carryingstructure (10) is movable in both senses of the longitudinal direction(X-X) from a position where the reel (20) is removed from the distaldisc (30 a,130 a) into a position where the reel is close to the saiddistal disc (30 a;130 a).
 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, whereinsaid containing discs (30 a,30 b) are translationally fixed.
 8. Theapparatus according to claim 6, wherein at least one (30 b;130 b) ofsaid containing discs (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b) is translationallymovable.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein thetranslationally movable disc is the proximal disc (30 b;130 b).
 10. Theapparatus according to claim 9, wherein the containing discs (30 a,30 b)are connected together in the longitudinal direction (X-X) byscrew/female thread tie-members (36).
 11. The apparatus according toclaim 9, further comprising a cross-piece (60) for containing the spoolduring winding thereof.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, whereinsaid cross-piece is displaceable from a winding position, close to thespool, into a wrapping position, removed from the spool and notinterfering with the proximal disc (130 b).
 13. The apparatus accordingto claim 11, wherein the proximal disc (130 b) is mounted on arespective arm (135) integral with the rod (136 a) of a cylinder (136)for performing translation of the disc (130 b) in both senses of thelongitudinal direction (X-X) from a removed position, where it does notinterfere with the cross-piece (60), into a position close to the spool,for containing the spool and the film (2) during wrapping.
 14. Theapparatus according to claim 6, wherein said gap (32) of the containingdiscs (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b) is equivalent to a circle segment.
 15. Theapparatus according to claim 9, wherein said circle segment has a centreangle of between 30° and 120°.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 9,wherein said circle segment has a centre angle of between 40° and 95°.17. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the inner surface (30 c)of each disc (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b) is lined with anti-frictionmaterial.
 18. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the innersurface (30 c) of each disc (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b) has spheres (33)lined with anti-friction material.
 19. The apparatus according to claim6, wherein said feeder device (50) feeding the film (2) is movable inthe longitudinal direction (X-X) between two opposite end positions suchto cause the film (2) to project partially in the longitudinal direction(X-X) from the sides of the spool.
 20. The apparatus according to claim14, wherein the said displacement of the feeder (50) is synchronizedwith the gaps (32) in the two containing discs (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b).21. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the distance (D1)between the discs (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b) which are rotationally fixedis slightly greater than the desired width of the spool being wound. 22.The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the total travel stroke ofthe feeder device (50) in the longitudinal direction (X-X) between thetwo end positions is greater than the distance (D1) between thecontaining discs (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b).
 23. The apparatus according toclaim 14, wherein the disc (130 b), which is proximal with respect tothe reel (20), is designed in the form of petals (131 b) supported bycorresponding arms (135).
 24. The apparatus according to claim 11,wherein said cross-piece (60) allows expansion of the outer diameter ofthe reel beyond the inner diameter of the central opening (31) of thediscs (30 a,30 b;130 a,130 b).